THE INTERSECTION OF SUBSTANCE USE & BULLYING

Presented By: Hannah Rose, CEO, Business Coach Innovative Strategies Training & Consulting

LEARNING OBJECTIVES • Understand the common risk factors

of bullying and potential risk factors for substance use disorder

• Identify additional risk factors regarding cyberbullying

• Categorize other factors that lead to bullying and bully victimization

• Understand the impact of substance use on the adolescent brain

• Actions and interventions to address and/or prevent adolescent substance use or use harm reduction approaches to lesson the impact

BULLYING DEFINED

Bullying is the use of force, coercion or threat, to abuse aggressivelydominate or intimidateOne essential prerequisite is the perception (by the bully or by others) of an imbalance of physical or social power

This imbalance distinguishes bullying from conflict

Bullying is the activity of repeated, aggressive behavior intended to hurt another individual, physically, mentally, or emotionally

stopbullying.gov

BULLYING IS FREQUENT FOR YOUTH

Bullying is among the most reported discipline problems in public schools

Nearly 14% of public schools report that bullying happens at least once a week

Reports of bullying are highest for middle schools (28%) followed by high schools (16%), combined schools (12%), and primary schools (9%)

stopbullying.gov

WARNING SIGNS FOR BULLYING

Not all children who are bullied show warning signs, however, you should be alert for:

- Unexplained injuries- Lost or destroyed clothing, books, electronics, or jewelry- Frequent headaches or stomachaches, feeling sick or faking

illness- Difficulty sleeping or frequent nightmares- Declining grades, loss of interest in schoolwork, or not

wanting to go to school stopbullying.gov

RISK FACTORS FOR BULLYING AND SUBSTANCE USE OVERLAP

Studies also support the notion that aggressive behavior and substance use co-occur because each behavior is an attempt to

cope with peer rejection. An extensive review of literature published in 2010 in School Psychology Quarterly supported the notion that risk factors for bullying and substance abuse overlap. Risk factors for bullying and bully victimization, such

as social difficulties, negative community influences and academic struggles, are also risk factors for substance abuse.

Committee on the Biological and Psychosocial Effects of Peer Victimization (2016)

ALONE-A SHORT BULLYING VIDEO

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxS5siu60y0

TYPES OF BULLYING

stopbullying.gov

Psychological Verbal Physical Cyber

THE MAINPLATFORM FOR BULLYING IN CONTEMPORARY CULTURE IS ON SOCIAL MEDIA WEBSITESstopbullying.gov

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

SOCIAL BULLYING• Social bullying involves damaging a person’s

reputation or relationships

• It usually occurs behind the person’s back, in front of groups of people or online

• The goal of social bullying is usually to put others down or to gain social power

• Social bullying may also occur because the bully wants to maintain his or her social status

Stopbullying.gov

EXAMPLES OF SOCIAL BULLYING

• Excluding others

• Ghosting on social media

• Spreading rumors

• Sharing fake stories

• Humiliating others publicly

• Posting embarrassing photos or videos online

VERBAL BULLYING• Verbal bullying includes saying or

writing things that are meant to cause harm

• It can occur face-to-face or via phone call, text, social media or other medium such as:

• Flaming

• Teasing

• Name-calling

• Taunting

• Threatening

• Messaging Stopbullying.gov

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

SOCIAL & VERBAL BULLYING STATISTICS

•Name calling 44.2 %

•Teasing 43.3 %

•Spreading rumors or lies 36.3%

•Threatening 27.4%

•Stealing belongings 27.3%

•Sexual comments or gestures 22.3 %

Cyber Bullying & Other Social Bullies - Bullying Statistics

PHYSICAL BULLYING

• Physical bullying is the easiest to recognize. It involves causing physical damage to a person or their property

• The visible side effects of physical bullying can include black eyes, bruises or scars, but physical bullying also causes psychological side effects

• Like verbal or social bullying, the goal of physical bullying is to make the victim and others believe the bully has power

Stopbullying.gov

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

PHYSICAL BULLYING STATISTICS

• Pushing or shoving 32.4%

• Hitting, slapping, or kicking 29.2%

Stopbullying.gov

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

CYBER BULLYING

• Cyberbullying is a relatively new type of bullying, but it has drastically changed how people bully others and how victims experience bullying

• Cyberbullying involves bullying behavior conducted through computers, cellphones, tablets and other electronic devices

• Cyberbullying can occur via text message, email, social media, online forums and other electronic mediums

• Research indicates that the psychological side effects of cyberbullying may be more severe than traditional bullying

• Risk of suicidal ideation and suicidal behavior seems to be even greater in those who are cyberbullied

•

Stopbullying.gov

OVERWHELMED-A SHORT VIDEO

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJzz2b5lnp0

AUDIENCE QUESTION

• What are your thoughts after watching the video?

CYBER BULLYING HAS A FAR REACH

Cyberbullying can involve name-calling, shaming or rumor-spreading that once involved a handful of people can now involve entire schools, workplaces or communities if conducted online

The purpose, intent and consequences of bullying haven’t changed, but a new medium has amplified its effects

Stopbullying.gov

CYBER BULLYING STATISTICS• 4.5 million youth aged 12 to 17 — a group representing 19

percent of American adolescents — had been cyberbullied

• 25% of girls were much more likely to be cyberbullied

• 14% of boys and teens who were cyberbullied were more than twice as likely to have used tobacco, alcohol or marijuana

• Teens who spent more time online were more likely to be cyberbullied

Kowalski et al., (2014)

SUBSTANCE USE & BULLYING-THE LINK

PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS FROM BULLYINGFor victims of bullying, the experience can be life-altering, especially if it occurred during formative years

Numerous studies that have found how bullied people develop conditions such as depression, anxiety, panic attacks, suicidal behavior, and other mental health problems

Often, the physical or emotional injury that bullying causes becomes too unbearable and victims seek an escape often through alcohol or drugs

This occasional escape to forget the pain or trauma could lead to a lifelong habit Tharp-Taylor (2009)

RESEARCH SHOWS

• A recent study involving more than 4,000 students found that children who are bullied in fifth grade are more likely to experiment with drugs and alcohol during the next five years

Earnshaw et al. (2020)

• A study in Finland discovered the harmful effects of workplace bullying. The study found that victims of workplace bullies are more likely to take antidepressants, sleeping pills, sedatives and other psychotropic medications

Lullukka et al. (2012)

BULLYING EXERTS PSYCHIATRIC EFFECTS INTO ADULTHOOD

•Once considered a childhood rite of passage, bullying lingers well into adulthood

•Bullies and victims alike are at risk for psychiatric problems such as anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and suicide when they become adults

Tharp-Taylor (2009)

YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM

•2011 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) on a nationally representative sample of 15,425 high-school students from across the United States

•Results suggested that the effects of traditional and cyberbullying victimization on suicidal thinking, suicide planning, and suicide attempts were mediated by violent behavior, substance use, and depression

•Results also suggested reciprocal paths between substance use and violent behavior Reed , Nugent., and Cooper (2015)

HOW BULLYING LEADS TO SUBSTANCE USE

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BULLYING AND SUBSTANCE USE AMONG MIDDLE AND HIGH

SCHOOL YOUTH• Bullying and substance use examined among 74,247 middle and

high school students

• Bullying is most prevalent among middle school youth

• Substance use is most prevalent among high school students

• Bullies and bully-victims more likely to use cigarettes, alcohol and marijuana

• Victims and students not involved in bullying less likely to use substances

Radliff et. al., (2012)

QUOTES FROM THE AUTHOR (RADLIFF)

•“If we can intervene with bullies while they’re in middle school, we may be able to help them before they start experimenting with substance use”

•“This might be especially important in middle school, where bullying is more prevalent, but substance use is still relatively rare”

Radliff et. al., (2012)

BULLYING & SUBSTANCE USE

Radliff et. al., (2012)

• The connection between drug use and bullying is more pronounced in bullies than in victims of bullying

• Bullies abuse substances more often, which is part of a set of problem behaviors

• Typically, they have low self-esteem and turn to bullying others to feel stronger and more confident

• Perpetrators of bullying seek to self-medicate with alcohol or drugs to deal with underlying mental health problems that are at the core of their aggressive behavior

• Bullies are also more likely to contact and communicate with peers who display the same kind of behavior or reinforce it

BULLYING AND SUBSTANCE USE

Bullying can lead to physical violence, mental health problems and other life difficulties

It’s also a risk factor for substance use

It’s difficult to find a direct link between bullying and substance use because both behaviors are relatively common

More than 17 percent of children have tried an illicit drug by eighth grade, and nearly 50 percent have used an illicit drug by their senior year

2016 Monitoring the Future survey

SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS

The association between substance use and bullying as substance use varied according to the amount of bullying

Among middle-school students, only 1.6% of those not involved in bullying reported marijuana use. But 11.4% of bullies and 6.1% of bully-victims used the drug.

Among high school students, 13.3% of those not involved in bullying were marijuana users –compared to 31.7% of bullies, 29.2% of bully-victims, and 16.% of victims

Radliff et. al., (2012)

POTENTIAL SIGNS OF BULLY VICTIMS

• Inexplicable injuries

• Frequent stomach aches or headaches, feeling sick often, pretending to be sick

• Lost or destroyed items

• Sleeplessness, frequent nightmares

• Poor academic performance, losing interest and/or not wanting to go to school

• Unexplainable changes in eating habits, binging or skipping meals – bullied kids will often skip lunch and come home starving

• Plummeting / poor self-esteem

• Isolation, avoiding social situations

• Talking about suicide, attempting to run away from home, cutting themselves

POTENTIAL SIGNS OF BULLYING

He/she is reported to be getting into fights often

Becomes more aggressive

Has unexplained new items or extra money

Never takes responsibility for his or her actions

Always blames others for conflicts that arise

Becomes increasingly competitive, being popular at school becomes a top priority

Stopbullying.gov

UNDERSTANDING THE ADOLESCENT BRAIN

Why teenagers and young adults are more vulnerable

ADOLESCENCE

Adolescence is the phase of life between late childhood and adulthood

It is a time not only of physical maturation, but also of mental and emotional development into an independent, responsible adult

The major developmental tasks of adolescence include the establishment and nurturing of intimate relationships and the development of identity, future perspectives, independence, self-confidence, self-control, and social skills

Konrad et. al., 2013

THE ADOLESCENT FRONTAL LOBE

Frontal Lobe is responsible for executive functioning tasks such as:

PlanningStrategizingOrganizingMaintaining attentionShifting attention

The adolescent brain does not have a fully developed frontal lobe

Konrad et. al., 2013

POTENTIAL PROBLEMS

Short term memory is impaired with easy distraction

There is inappropriate behavior with difficulty using social cues and information to direct, control, or change personal behavior

Inhibition impaired

The frontal lobe functions as the CEO

The adolescent brain is just learning how to use the prefrontal cortex, however, it is not always very successful at it

WHEN THE FRONTAL LOBE IS MOST VULNERABLE

When emotions are called on first to solve a problem

During times of peer influence

Konrad et. al., 2013

AUDIENCE QUESTIONHOW COULD THIS CONTRIBUTE TO SUBSTANCE USE AND

BULLYING?

THE ADOLESCENT AMYGDALA

Emotional center of the brain

Fight, flight or freeze response

Use more often in the decision-making process, since the frontal lobe is not fully developed

Responsible for impulse reactions, emotional reactions, fear, and is also used in the decision-making process of adolescents

Konrad et. al., 2013

IMPLICATIONS OF AMYGDALA ON ADOLESCENT BEHAVIORS

Results in adolescents making more decisions based on emotional reactions rather than reasoning

Less capable ability to weigh long-term consequences

Developing adolescents tend to use their Amygdala when responding to other people's emotions, yielding more reactionary, less reasoned perceptions of situations than adults

Konrad et. al., 2013

ADOLESCENT'S PERCEPTION OF SELFA CRITICAL POINT

A function of brain

developmentTeens self

appraisal is tied into what they believe others think of them

Why does this matter?

ALCOHOL AND THE ADOLESCENT BRAIN

DUKE UNIVERSITY STUDY

•7 million youth binge drink once a month

•Effects of alcohol has lasting impact on the adolescent brain, particularly in the area of the hippocampus which is responsible for memory

•Teen brains do not recover as quickly after drinking

•Adolescent brains are more vulnerable to alcohol

•Teens don’t get tired after drinking the same way that adults do

•Teens are also less vulnerable to balance problems and hangovers from drinking

Schepis et. al., 2019

IMPLICATIONS OF ALCOHOL USE IN ADOLESCENCE

Drinking during the teen years significantly increases an adolescent's chances of substance use disorder in adult life

Drinking, even moderately in teen years significantly damage the hippocampus

The long-term damage of drinking in adolescence significantly more than in the adult

These damages are long term

Schepis et. al., 2019

SUCCESSFUL ACTIONS & INTERVENTIONSHOW WE CAN PULL TOGETHER TO ADDRESS BULLYING?

EDUCATION WORLD RECOMMENDATIONS

SCHOOL, CLASSROOM & INDIVIDUAL LEVELS

•Survey to determine the extent of the problem

•Educate school about bullying behaviors, response strategies, and available resources

• Increased supervision in the cafeteria, hallways, bathrooms, and on the playground, where most bullying behavior occurs

•Form a group, to manage the Anti-Bullying program and evaluate its success

•Provide meetings between parents and school staff

•Discussions of bullying issues at PTO meetings

AT THE CLASSROOM LEVEL

Curriculum that is Evidenced-Based that promotes kindness, communication, cooperation, and friendship and includes lessons and activities stressing empathy, anger management, and conflict resolution skills

DEVELOP CLASS RULES AGAINST BULLYING

Rules should be brief and clear. Olweus suggests the following examples:

• We will not bully other students• We will try to help students who are bullied• We will include students who might be left

out• Immediate consequences for aggressive

behavior and immediate rewards for inclusive behavior

• Possible sanctions Olweus 2003

CONSEQUENCES & SANCTIONS

Immediate consequences for aggressive behavior and immediate rewards for inclusive behavior. Possible sanctions include having the bully:

•apologize•discuss the incident with the teacher,

principal, and/or parents•pay for damaged belongings• spend time in the office or another

classroom;• forfeit recess or other privileges

AT THE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL

•Serious talks with bullies and victims

•Serious talks with the parents of bullies and victims

•Role playing of non-aggressive behavior with bullies

•Role playing of assertive behavior with victims

MEDIATION APPROACH•The mediator asks each of the students in turn to explain

the situation as he/she sees it

•The other student is required to listen without interrupting and, at the end, to summarize what has been said – to the satisfaction of the speaker

•Each is then asked to make suggestions as to how the issue might be resolved The mediator records each suggestion without unnecessary comment

•Each suggestion is listed, then examined and discussed to discover one to which they agree will resolve the conflict

RESTORATIVE PRACTICE APPROACH WITH OTHERS

•Restorative practices are designed to restore damaged relationships between individuals or groups

•They require that the ‘offender’ or “bully" acknowledges wrongdoing and the harm he or she has caused, and then acts restoratively through an apology and compensatory action

•This approach may be applied at a meeting with the bully and other interested parties such as parents, or a classroom of students Rigby, (2010)

RESTORATIVE PRACTICE APPROACH WITH THE BULLY AND VICTIM BOTH PRESENT

In the presence of the victim, ‘the bully’ is asked the following questions:

•What happened?

•What were you thinking of at the time?

•What have you thought about since?

•What do you think you need to do to make things right?

• How can we make sure this doesn’t happen again?

Rigby, (2010)

RESTORATIVE PRACTICE APPROACH WITH THE BULLY AND VICTIM BOTH PRESENT

In the presence of the bully, ‘the victim’ is asked the following questions:

•What did you think when you realized what had happened?

•What have you thought about since?

•What impact has this incident had on you and others?

•What has been the hardest thing for you?

•What do you think needs to happen to make things right? Rigby, (2010)

AUDIENCE QUESTION

•What are your thoughts on these recommendations?

REFERENCES

• Baiden, P., Tadeo, S.K. (2019). Journal of Psychiatric Research. Examining the association between bullying victimization and prescription drug misuse among adolescents in the United States, Vol 112, pages 44-51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2019.02.018

• Chicoine, J., Marcotte, D., & Poirier, M. (2019). Longitudinal and reciprocal relationships between bullying and victimization and depressive symptoms in adolescents]. Canadian Journal of Behavioral Science / Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/cbs0000158

• Committee on the Biological and Psychosocial Effects of Peer Victimization: Lessons for Bullying Prevention; Board on Children, Youth, and Families; Committee on Law and Justice; Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education; Health and Medicine Division; National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Rivara F, Le Menestrel S, editors. Preventing Bullying Through Science, Policy, and Practice. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2016 Sep 14. 4, Consequences of Bullying Behavior. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK390414/

• Earnshaw, V.A., Elliott, M.C., Reinser, S.L., Mrug, S., Windle, M., Emery, S.T., Perskin, M.F., & Schuster, M.A. (January 2020). Peer Victimization, Depressive Symptoms, and Substance Use: A Longitudinal Analysis. Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Vol. 145, Issue 1. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2016-3426.

REFERENCES• Elkins, C., (2010) Bullying and Substance Abuse: Who It Affects and Why. Retrieved from

https:https://www.drugrehab.com/guides/bullying/

• Gaete, J., Tornero, B., Valenzuela, D., Rojas-Barahona, C. A., Salmivalli, C., Valenzuela, E., & Araya, R. (2017). Substance Use among Adolescents Involved in Bullying: A Cross-Sectional Multilevel Study. Frontiers in psychology, 8, 1056. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01056.

• Johnston, L. D., O’Malley, P. M., Bachman, J. G., & Schulenberg, J. E. (2010). Monitoring the Future national survey results on drug use, 1975-2009; Volume 1, Secondary school students (NIH Publication No. 10-7584). Bethesda, MD: National Institute on Drug Abuse.

• Kim, Y.K., Kim, Y.J., Maleku, A., Moon, S.S. (2019) Social Work Public Health. Typologies of Peer Victimization, Depression, and Alcohol Use among High School Youth in the United States: Measuring Gender Differences. Vol 34, (4). 293-306. doi: 10.1080/19371918.2019.1606750.

• Kowalski, Robin & Giumetti, Gary & Schroeder, Amber & Lattanner, Micah. (2014). Bullying in the Digital Age: A Critical Review and Meta-Analysis of Cyberbullying Research Among Youth. Psychological bulletin. 140. 10.1037/a0035618.

• Kimber, M., Boyle, M.H., Georgiades, K. (2019) Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. Sex Differences in the Association Between Cyberbullying Victimization and Mental Health, Substance Use, and Suicidal Ideation in Adolescents. Vol. 64(2), 126–135. doi:10.1177/0706743718777397.

REFERENCES• Konrad, K., Firk, C., & Uhlhaas, P. J. (2013). Brain development during adolescence: neuroscientific insights into this

developmental period. Deutsches Arzteblatt international, 110(25), 425–431. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2013.0425.

• Lallukka T, Haukka J, Partonen T, et al Workplace bullying and subsequent psychotropic medication: a cohort study with register linkages. BMJ Open 2012;2:e001660. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2012-001660

• Luk, J. W., Wang, J., & Simons-Morton, B. G. (2012). The co-occurrence of substance use and bullying behaviors among U.S. adolescents: Understanding demographic characteristics and social influences. Journal of Adolescence, 35(5), 1351-1360. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2012.05.003.

• Owleus, D. (2003) Bullying at school: What we know and what we can do. Psychology in the Schools, Vol. 40 (6). https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.10114.

• Niemela, S., Brunstein-Klomek, A., Sillanmaki, L., Helenius, H., Piha, J., Kumpulainen, K., Moilanen, I.,Sourander, A. (2011). Childhood bullying behaviors at age eight and substance use at age 18 among males: A nationwide prospective study. Addictive Behaviors, 36(3), 256-260. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2010.10.012.

• Radliff, K. M., Wheaton, J. E., Robinson, K., & Morris, J. (2012). Illuminating the relationship between bullying and substance use among middle and high school youth. Addictive Behaviors, 37(4), 569-572. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2012.01.001.

REFERENCES• Reed K.P., Nugent W., Cooper R.L. (2015) Social Work in Public Health Testing a path model of relationships

between gender, age, and bullying victimization and violent behavior, substance abuse, depression, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts in adolescents. Children and Youth Services Review, 55 , pp. 128-137.

• Rigby, K., Bullying Interventions in Schools; Six major approaches. 2010. Retrieved from http://www.bullyingawarenessweek.org/pdf/Bullying_Prevention_Strategies_in_Schools_Ken_Rigby.pdf

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2017). Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (HHS Publication No. SMA 17-5044, NSDUH Series H-52). Rockville, MD: Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

• StopBullying.gov A federal government website managed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 200 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20201.

• Tharp-Taylor, S., Haviland, A., & D’Amico, E. J. (2009). Victimization from mental and physical bullying and substance use in early adolescence. Addictive Behaviors, 34(6/7), 561-567. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2009.03.012.

• Topper, L. R., Castellanos-Ryan, N., Mackie, C., & Conrod, P. J. (2011). Adolescent bullying victimization and alcohol-related problem behavior mediated by coping drinking motives over a 12 month-period. Addictive Behaviors, 36(1/2), 6-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2010.08.016.

RESOURCES• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

• Stopbullying.gov

• National Institute of Mental Health

• Bullying Statistics

• Psych Central

• Health Prep

• Psychology Today

• Education World

• Addiction Resource